Free legal information and tools to help you assert your rights under federal, state, and local consumer laws that apply to Woods Hole, MA.
We cover Bankruptcy, Probate & Massachusetts Inheritance Law, Unemployment Benefits, Wage & Hour Laws, and Democracy & Voting Rights.
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In Massachusetts, there's no Affidavit procedure available for small estates. There is a summary probate procedure available for estates that have no real property and a value that is less than $25,000, plus the value of a vehicle. Interested persons must file a Will (if any), inventory of the assets and a list of heirs with the court, and offer to serve as a voluntary personal representative.
Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch 190B, 3-1201 and following.
You can also use a summary probate procedure for estates in which the value of the estate, less liens or encumbrances, doesn't exceed the homestead allowance, exempt property, family allowance, and costs of administration, funeral expenses, and last illness expenses.
Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch 190B, 3-1203, 1204.
The state of Massachusetts imposes an estate tax on property owned in Massachusetts. If you are inheriting property from the state of Massachusetts, it may be subject to estate tax if the overall value of the estate is more than $1,000,000.
The minimum wage in Massachusetts is $15 an hour. Because this is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees in The Bay State must be paid at least $15 an hour.
The minimum wage in Barnstable County is currently $15 an hour, the state minimum wage.
In Massachusetts, your employer may pay you a minimum wage of $6.75 an hour, as long as you earn enough in tips to bring your total hourly pay up to the full minimum wage, $15 an hour. If you don’t earn enough in tips to bring your compensation to the full minimum wage, your employer must make up the difference.
Yes. Federal exemptions are available.
Automatic homestead $125,000; Declared homestead $500,000 for property you occupy or intend to occupy (including mobile home); (co-owners may not double) (special rules if over 62 or disabled, may double to 1,000,00).
$7,500; $15,000 if used by elderly or disabled debtor
In Massachusetts, you can receive unemployment benefits for a maximum of 30 weeks. When extended benefits are available or unemployment is low, the maximum is 26 weeks.